Build On Your Lot

Are you interested in building a new home on your lot? Accessible Home Builders is ready to guide you through that process. Finding a completed home that is exactly what you want in your desired location is not easy. Building on your lot allows you to create a home ideally suited to your lifestyle and needs. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a convenient, peaceful, or inspiring location. You only have to pick the location, then Accessible Home Builders can take care of the rest! Our expert team will guide you throughout the process to ensure your new custom home is built with the quality craftsmanship standards you expect and deserve.

Custom Home

The Process: Lot Information

Custom Home Front Door

Lot Costs

Building a home on your lot involves many costs beyond the purchase price of the lot. These costs can include permits, lot clearing, utility installations, sewer and water hookups, and more. When determining your budget, you should consider all these costs as you review home plans and upgrades. Accessible Home Builders can offer a free site review to discover these costs and estimate the impact they can have on your budget.

Lot Considerations

A thorough evaluation of your homesite before breaking ground is critical. Each piece of land possesses unique characteristics that influence design, construction methods, and overall costs. Some key considerations include:

Lot Size

Understanding the difference between the total lot size and the buildable area is essential. While a lot may be advertised as large, setbacks, easements, or zoning restrictions may reduce the amount of usable land where you can actually build your home. For example, local regulations may require a certain distance between your home and the property line or street. If you plan to build a large out-building, swimming pool, or outdoor entertainment area, make sure the buildable portion of the lot can accommodate these features in addition to your home.

Property Grading & Topography

Poor grading makes a lot more susceptible to water damage, foundation issues, and flooding. However, this can be difficult for prospective buyers to identify, so working with a professional home builder is essential. This will give you a comprehensive understanding of the quality of your lot and how it will perform over the years.
Custom Home Backyard

Utilities & Access

Are the utilities currently present on the site? How far does the house sit from the power source? These factors will determine if any additional expense will be incurred through the electric company.

Zoning, Restrictions & HOAs

Understanding local zoning regulations and homeowners’ association (HOA) restrictions is essential before purchasing land. Zoning laws dictate land use, building height limitations, square foot limitations, and more. HOA guidelines and building codes may impose constraints on the type of home you can build, including exterior aesthetics, materials, and even parking arrangements. Awareness of these regulations prevents potential conflicts and ensures your new construction design aspirations align with local requirements before purchasing land.

Water & Sewer Access

Does your lot have access to public water? Are the taps located at the lot? Are the taps currently in, and do they have to be upsized for the fire sprinkler system? Have the tap fees been paid? If not, what is the cost? How deep in the ground is the water main to tap into? These questions can be answered by the Public Works Department of the County in which the lot is located. Are the sewer lines located at the lot? How deep are the sewer lines to tap into? Have the tap fees been paid? If not, what is the cost? Accessible Home Builders can help you navigate these questions.

Don’t Own a Lot Yet?

Are you ready to build a custom home but don’t have a lot yet? Fear not, Accessible Home Builders is here to help! Accessible can recommend tips on how to find potential lots. We can then provide a free site review to discover specific impacts on construction and budget on a lot you are interested in. Our experts will look for any potential challenges, such as poor soil quality, drainage issues, or natural features, that could affect your custom home build budget and long-term satisfaction. We do not limit your choices to an inventory of lots we own, as we do not carry such an inventory. That makes us unbiased toward any lot you may want.

Free Site Review

Accessible Home Builders provides free site reviews to clients looking to build a custom home. We guide our customers and provide them with our opinions on the challenges and opportunities we see on any lot. Factors like soil quality, topography, and site preparation needs (such as clearing trees or grading the land) can significantly impact your overall construction budget. A seemingly affordable lot may cost more if extensive work is required to make it buildable.

We make our analysis as comprehensive as possible because we know our customers rely on us to help them decide whether to move forward with a land purchase or architectural plans. After the site review is complete, we provide an evaluation of the site and recommendations for reducing costs. Contact Accessible Home Builders today to start building on your lot!

Financing Information

Financing your new home can be overwhelming. You want to ensure you choose a trusted mortgage lender so everything goes smoothly. Accessible Home Builders has relationships with multiple lenders with competitive terms and conditions. Mortgage lending for new construction is unique, and not all lenders are the same. Ask us for our current list of recommended lenders.

Pre-Construction Meeting

Before construction begins, you will meet with our construction team to review the plans for your new custom home. A thorough review of the plan ensures your new home’s placement, orientation, and grading are all as per the agreed terms. Drainage, rainwater management, property lines, and easements will also be discussed. Additionally, structural elements like the type of siding, window placements, and foundation details are examined for accuracy.

For a successful pre-construction meeting, you should review the plans, specifications, and contract beforehand. Have a list of questions covering even the minutest details, just in case. Understanding the limitations of structural changes is crucial, as these are often set in stone once construction begins.

Construction

Accessible Home Builders handles everything you want us to take care of. Typically, we do everything related to constructing the home. As such, we often include appliances, driveways, landscaping, well and septic, and clearing if needed. We will review these needs when we meet to discuss your project.

During construction, one of our expert project managers will be available to address any concerns or questions you may have. Your home will undergo a series of county inspections and our own quality assurance inspections to ensure that it is built to the highest standards.
Pre-Closing Orientation, Walk Through, & Warranty Information

Once fixtures and appliances have been installed, it’s time for the last few steps of the active building process. You’ll walk through your new home with your builder, where they’ll review any finishing touches that remain and ensure everything has been completed to your expectations. Your builder will finish up any leftover items from the completion list and then perform a final cleanup to ensure your home is ready for move in. When looking for a high-quality custom home builder, look for someone who offers a warranty to help you maintain and improve your home in the years to come. Ask us about our current warranty policies!

Move In!

Congratulations! It is time for you to approve the final paperwork and receive the keys to your new home. You are now ready to move into your beautiful, new custom home and start making memories.

Build on Your Lot FAQ

How do we know if a lot is buildable?

What is the zoning on the lot? Is the lot approved for a septic, or does it have sewer access? Will the house we want to build fit within the established setbacks? All these questions and more determine whether your lot or the one you have selected is buildable. Accessible Home Builders offers a free, no-obligation review of your new home goals and a site review to determine if what you want to build will fit the lot you have or hope to purchase.
What if I don’t have land?

Many folks discover available lots in a community they are interested in living in through a local agent and/or the available websites and apps dedicated to presenting lots to you. Accessible Home Builders does not limit your choices to an inventory of lots we own, as we do not carry such an inventory. That makes us unbiased toward any lot you may want.
What do I need to know before buying land to build a home?
A partial list of what you need to know before making an offer on a building lot is:
- Zoning
- Flood Zone
- Site Evaluation
- HOA Deed Restriction
Accessible Home Builders offers a free, no-obligation review of your construction goals and a site review of a prospective building lot. Utilize our 30-plus years of experience to ask all the pertinent questions and receive the information you need to make an informed decision.
I want to build a home, where do I start?

When building your next home, there are three basic questions to answer: Where are we going to build? What are we going to build? How will we pay for what and where we want to build? At Accessible Home Builders, we will walk you through each of these questions as part of a smooth process from start to finish and ensure your satisfaction when you move in.
What is included in the price of a new home?

Typically, a new home price includes everything but the cost of the land and financing costs. As a custom home builder, we are a “soup to nuts” option for a hassle-free process. That being said, if you want to do some of the work yourself, we make some provision for that. Ask us for the details.
Can you provide a ballpark price?

We do have pricing available on our Accessible Home Builders designs, but we cannot provide pricing on plans clients have found from other sources. We can offer pricing on the following models: The “Dream Home Collection”, “Choice Home Collection”, “Comfortable Living Series” and “Easy Living Series”.
In what locations do you offer the Build On Your Lot program?

We build in Sussex County and Southern Kent County. If you have a building lot or are looking for one in these areas, give us a call (302‐663‐0464). Let’s see what we can offer you.
What is the timeline for building a home on my lot?

As you might expect, the construction of a new home has many factors outside of our control: the time it takes to get a permit, warm or cold weather impacts, and material availability. With over 30 years of experience, we have a track record of moving from contract signing to starting construction in approximately 60 – 90 days and completing your home from footers to final inspection in 4-6 months. We can offer a closer estimate with additional information about your lot and the wants and needs of your new home.
How does financing work for Build On Your Lot?

When you build your next home and own your building lot, the new mortgage will pay for the balance due, if any, on the land and for the construction costs. If you are purchasing the land at the same time, then the price of the land and the construction will be added together. The land will be paid for at closing, so you own the land, and we are clear to build upon it. Of course, every lender has its own particular policies, so always check with the lender of choice for the final answer on this. We have a short list of suggested lenders who have proven their ability to perform in the construction/permanent financing domain over many years. You may ask us for the contact information.
What are HOA restrictions?

HOA restrictions are typically applied to a deed, so any use of the property must conform to those restrictions. Typical restrictions we see are house size, required garages, garage size, roof pitch, and sometimes color schemes. You should have or receive a copy of these restrictions when you purchase a building lot. If you can’t find them, we suggest contacting your HOA president for an up-to-date copy.
Will you build from an architectural plan that I like?

Yes. We will build from any plan you find, from a plan you find online, or one you have drawn yourself. As a custom home builder, we can handle it all.
If you’re considering building a custom home in the Delaware area, Accessible Home Builders is for you. We’d love to learn more about your project, contact us to get started!

Select Accessible Home Builders to Build on Your Lot

Accessible Home Builders is a team of skilled professionals that provide home design and construction services to the Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, Selbyville, Laurel, Seaford, Millsboro, Bridgeville, Georgetown, Milton, and all areas of Sussex County Delaware. We look forward to hearing from you!